On Thursday, Sept. 9 The Discourse hosted a candidates’ forum in which three major party candidates for the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding gathered virtually to answer some of your questions.
The questions came from an election survey that was released by The Discourse and circulated on social media and in our newsletters. The Discourse analyzed survey responses to determine the top issues.
Shalu Mehta, lead reporter for The Discourse West Shore, hosted the hour-long discussion. The issues included climate change, affordable housing, the cost of living and reconciliation. See the full video and a list of questions, with timestamps, at the bottom of this article.
Related story: Election 2021: A guide for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke voters
NDP candidate Randall Garrison, Liberal Party candidate Doug Kobayashi and Green Party candidate Harley Gordon joined the conversation. Conservative Party candidate Laura Frost was also invited to the forum but declined the invitation, citing a prior commitment. Tyson Riel Strandlund, with the Communist Party of Canada and Rob Anderson, with the People’s Party of Canada, are also running for election in this riding. However, due to time constraints, The Discourse chose to give space to candidates from parties that received a significant proportion of the vote locally in the 2019 election.
- 00:00 to 03:35: Introductions and procedures
- 03:36 to 09:37: Opening remarks
- 09:38 to 15:28: What will you do to address the low-availability, high-cost rental housing market in Greater Victoria?
- 15:29 to 22:00: What will you do to slow the increasing cost of living in the region?
- 22:01 to 28:54: What actionable steps will you take towards helping Indigenous communities locate their missing loved ones and unmarked burial places in a culturally informed way?
- 28:55 to 43:14: What are three actions you will take to address the climate emergency in this riding?
- 43:15 to 48:50: If you could accomplish one thing on behalf of Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke residents, what would it be?
- 48:51 to 55:53: Closing remarks [end]
